


Black and Blue

by magicianlogician12



Series: Heart of Steel [13]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: F/F, Modern AU, Tarnished and Tempered AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 23:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7458379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicianlogician12/pseuds/magicianlogician12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tabi gets herself into trouble. Haylen treats her injuries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Black and Blue

Haylen’s eyes burned with fatigue as she squinted at one of her many unfinished homework questions.

Many nights were spent like this since Haylen’s new semester had started a few weeks ago. She saw less of Tabi now than during her summer break, but they’d exchange a few words late at night–provided Haylen was still awake when Tabi got home–before Tabi went to sleep. Haylen was often up long into the night with her schoolwork. Once, Tabi had woken up again for her morning job to see Haylen still at it, at which point Tabi had insisted it was time for Haylen to sleep.

With a sigh, Haylen set down her mechanical pencil. Maybe a snack would help refocus her attention. Tabi kept a multitude of easy, microwaveable meals for quick making, and while their quality was less than ideal, it was better than nothing.

Haylen unwrapped one of the meals and walked towards the microwave, stopping when she saw the time on the glowing green digits: 1:43 AM. Where was Tabi? Even on her latest nights, she was rarely home after 1:30.

While the meal turned slowly in the microwave, Haylen tried to call Tabi’s cell. It went straight to voicemail. “Hey, it’s Tabi, can’t answer right now, leave me a message.”

Haylen hung up–Tabi never checked her voicemails, something which she was told aggravated Tabi’s mother to no end. It was rare for it not to ring, though.

A chime drew Haylen’s attention for a moment, the microwave letting her know her food was done. Taking it and a fork back to her desk, Haylen resolved to not worry about Tabi too much–there was little she could do right now except wait, and while Tabi herself had said she was prone to getting into trouble, she was just as capable of getting herself out of it.

Right as Haylen was about to pick up her pencil again, she heard the front door open.

Throwing the pencil down and abandoning her microwave meal for the moment, Haylen rounded the doorway and stopped dead, shocked speechless.

Tabi was home, but looked much worse for wear than anyone would normally expect. Her lip was bloody, her eye sported what looked like the beginnings of a black eye, and there were a few more abrasions around her face. She held her side and walked with a slight limp.

“Tabi, oh my god.” Haylen finally said.

Tabi summons a small smile, though it clearly pulls at the wound she sustained on her lip. “This isn’t so bad. Could’ve been worse.” she begins to shuffle past, towards the bathroom. “I’ll get it cleaned up, and it’ll heal.”

Haylen intercepted Tabi before she made it across the room and walked with her the rest of the way. “Look, tough girl, you can’t pull that act with me. Come with me and sit down.”

Tabi followed her instructions, though hollowly–she didn’t even have a quip about her usual rebellious stubbornness. “Really, Haylen. I can take care of this myself. It’s not the first time.”

“What happened?” Haylen stood on top of the bathroom counter to reach the first aid kit stored on top of the towel cabinet.

“I got in a fight.” Tabi raised her shoulders in a slight shrug. “I do that sometimes. Bar fights, usually.”

Haylen got down from the counter, first aid kit in hand. Tabi reached out for it, but Haylen set it down, out of her reach. “So what, you just get in fights and get hurt all the time, and that’s normal?”

“No.” Tabi replied, and her blue eyes glimmered faintly with amusement. “I don’t usually get hurt. You planning to patch me up, Nurse Haylen?”

“That’s exactly what I’m planning.” Haylen pulled out an antiseptic and a few bandages.

“Haylen, please.” now Tabi didn’t look quite so amused. “I can take care of this myself.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Haylen replied matter-of-factly, cracking a chemical ice pack and feeling the chill in her hands, reaching out for one of Tabi’s, whose knuckles were bruised, “I doubt that I want you to do this yourself when I can help you.”

Tabi sighed as she allowed Haylen to rest the ice pack on her bruised knuckles, and after instructing Tabi to hold the ice pack in place, she took one of the bandages, put some antiseptic on it, and dabbed at Tabi’s bleeding lip.

“I take it I’m not the first person you’ve had to patch up?” Tabi asked when her lip had been cleaned and the bleeding stopped.

“Took some first-aid classes.” Haylen replied with a weary grin. “You’re the first real person I’ve actually treated.”

Tabi arched one brow. “Hope you didn’t mix up the antiseptic and the arsenic.”

“There wouldn’t even be arsenic in a first-aid kit.” Haylen shot back with a grin.

Tabi rolled her eyes slightly. “You’re no fun at all.”

“And you’re remarkably calm about your various injuries.” once Haylen was satisfied she’d done all she could, she shut the first-aid kit. “Tell me you’re not planning on going to work tomorrow.”

A shrug. “I could, but that would be a lie, and I don’t like lying to you.”

Haylen blinked. “So you’re telling me you’re going to go to sleep for four hours, wake up, and go about your business as normal?”

“I’ve been treated.” Tabi said with mock-indignation. “I’m perfectly well. Fit as a fiddle. The picture of health.”

“If that picture of health had bruises and abrasions everywhere, maybe.” Haylen responded wryly. “I think you should call in tomorrow.”

Tabi looked away. “I’ll think about it.”

Haylen knew that she was lying, but let it go–she could always stop Tabi from leaving tomorrow morning somehow. “I guess that’s all I can ask for.”

“Am I free to go, Nurse Haylen?” Tabi asked teasingly, looking back up.

“For now.” Haylen replied.

**Author's Note:**

> I intended to write this as a standalone piece, however I intentionally left the ending open in case I got inspired enough to come back to it--I could conceivably see other directions I could continue this with.
> 
> Either way, thanks for reading!


End file.
